◆ SpookStack

= & One ques j ediately euteed-~ic this: . .s this médimthat the Muslim movement, which ad- yocates that Negroes separate and form thelr own nation, is now preparing to initiate political ac- tion or participate in the political life of the United States? It has not done so up to now, The ques- tion is important because of the influence of the Muslims in the Negro community, which is con- siderably larger than their direct membership. The Muhammad Speaks article talks of “the movement of the Muslims towards the political front” and interprets Muham- mad’s statement to mean that ‘hereafter the large Muslim movement in North America would enter the political arena on the side of candidates with pro- grams designed to alleviate the deplorable conditions under which Negroes are forced to Hve.” But what the paper actually quotes of Muhammad's statement does not indicate any definite decision to “enter the political | arena,” The April 1 Militant quot- ed New York Muslim leader Mal- colm XK as having said on March 23 that people were asking him if the Muslims were going into politics and that his answer was, “Jf we do, we'll do it right.” In spite of the Muhammad Speaks interpretation, which stirred up & lot of momentary excitement and speculation, we must conclude that the Muslims have not yet decided to enter the political arena. But Muhammad's statement shows that they are thinking about it. It also probably reflects a certain amount of pressure from sections of the Negro community that look hopefully to the Muslims for leadership in the Negro strug- gle. His statement may be in the nature of a feeler — to probe reac- tions and gauge possibilities. The Muslims have been showing great- er flexibility and keener sensi- tivity toward moods of the Ne- gro masses, especially during the last year, We must not forget that like other tendencies in the Negro movement, they not only influ- ence the Negro community but . also are influenced by it. It would ‘ be a mistake to think of the Mus- lims as a fixed and unchangeable tendency, and I, for one, think that under certain conditions they may decide to enter the political field, If they do, the repercussions would be widespread in at least two directions: 1) It would strengthen move- ments to elect Negro representa- tiveSte-public office. MOeNeEro | jdates would run, - ee swouta be electéd. We might see the ap- pearance of local Negro parties, even a national one. . 2) It would produce big changes inside the Muslim movement, and big changes in their relations with other organizations in the Negro community and, ultimately, with other major forces in American life. . . How big would depend, of course, on what kind of political action they advocated and under~ took. Would it be political action to elect Negro Democrats or Repub- licans, that is, candidates running on the tickets of the parties that have been and are responsible for racial oppression? Or would it be to elect Negroes running independ- ently of the capitalist parties, in epposition to the capitalist par-~ ty candidates, and responsible to the Negro community rather than to the old and corrupt political machines? Muhammad’s statement is not even vague on this point — it does not deal with it at all. The remarks of Muhammad Speaks are even less helpful: “on the side of candidates with programs designed to alleviate” Negro con- ditions could mean almost any~ thing. Nobody knows the answer at this point. When Muhammad’s statement first appeared, a black nationalist (non-Muslim) assured me that the Muslims would “never get mixed up in the old Kind of politics." I repeat, however, no- body knows at this point. Hitting Pipe? I hope the readers of this ar- ticle will not think I have been hitting the pipe because I talk about the possibility of an inde- pendent Negro party. No such par. ty is going to be formed over- night, or by the 1964 election. But from what I hear and read, there is a good deal of talk and thought about this question in Negro na- tHonalist circles, among Negro “Integrationists” as well as Negro “separatists.” The desire of the Negro masses to be represented by Negroes in public office and elewhere has grown very strong in the last decade. Rep. Adam Clayton Powell, who kEeeps his ear to the ground, flirts with this sentiment now and then by talk- ing about the need to establish a Negro or civil-rights party. The idea itself is far from fan- tastic. The strategic basis for such a~peri already exists. It was — created by the capitalist system of _